West Monroe rebounds, hustles its way to upset of Denham Springs
West Monroe had already battled back from a rough shooting start and double-digit deficit Friday with inspired rebounding and defense in the third quarter. So when host Denham Springs reclaimed the lead in the final minutes, the Rebels fittingly found…
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Continue ReadingWest Monroe had already battled back from a rough shooting start and double-digit deficit Friday with inspired rebounding and defense in the third quarter.
So when host Denham Springs reclaimed the lead in the final minutes, the Rebels fittingly found their answers in the same hustle.
Chauncey Lee pulled down a pair of offense rebounds and drained a game-tying and go-ahead free throws. West Monroe drew a charge at the other end, and Lee worked his way right back to the line for another pair.
The No. 19 Rebels managed to stave off the No. 14 Yellow Jackets’ continued, valiant efforts — including a couple frustrating missed opportunities — to the final buzzer and advanced, 53-50, to the second round of the Division-I Non-Select playoffs.
“You know, we’ve got to come out and win,” Lee said. “This is my senior year. I had to talk to ’em like, ‘I’m not ready to go home,’ and we knew we were good when we’d cut it to eight. We just had to go out and out work ’em, dive on the ball, rebound and just finish the game.”
Chauncey Lee (2023) | 5-9 G | West Monroe
The tackling machine of a linebacker and bruising running back headed to Louisiana Tech as a preferred walk-on on the football field was the first player to finally end a combined 0-for-11 start from 3-point range before making his biggest mark in the lane and at the line down the stretch. Lee hit his third and fourth attempts from beyond the arc to sit at six points for much of the night before finishing with 11 points and six rebounds to help his team escape one of the state’s more thrilling opening-round matchups. “I knew we were gonna be doubted this year, so I’m trying to prove everybody wrong and go all the way,” he said. “And I knew we had to take care of this one first, so we were gonna start with rebounding, layups and free throws.”
Kendrick Green (2025) | 6-2 F | West Monroe
The sophomore forward may have been the best, or at least most impactful, player on the court much of the second half with an unreal rebounding performance. Green used his impressive quickness off the floor or around Yellow Jackets to better positioning to corral 17 rebounds and keep several other balls alive that his teammates then managed to snatch. He converted his efforts on the boards to 17 points, grabbed four steals and a blocked a shot. “When I go in the game, I don’t care about the points,” he said. “I just want the rebounds. That’s all I really care about.”
Jayden Jackson Jayden Jackson 5'10" | PG West Monroe | 2025 State LA (2025) | 5-11 G | West Monroe
The sophomore point guard was aggressive and poised beyond his years in a tight, back-and-forth game with the Rebels’ season on the line. His anticipation and quickness provided a nice perimeter counterpart to Green’s work inside as West Monroe beat Denham Springs to seemingly every loose ball for the bulk of the third quarter to swing the momentum. And, on offense, he continued to attack and find his way to his spots in the mid-range, the lane and at the foul line where he shot well to finish with 12 points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists.
Jermaine O’Conner (2026) | 6-2 G | Denham Springs
The freshman shooting guard was the best player on the court in the first half and some key moments in the second and looked poised to be one of the best players in the state for years to come. The long, springy athlete is quick with or without the ball and can get into the lane and to the rim almost at will where his length and body control in the air allow him to score with acrobatic, highlight-reel finishes. O’Conner scored 13 of his game-high 23 in the first half, primarily driving whether the lane or baseline, and his second-half 10 as already a go-to player in pivotal moments, such as his game-tying basket in the post and subsequent go-ahead and-one foul shot with 3:16 remaining. He already showcased good strength against a strong and athletic Rebels squad, but could ultimately become all the more consistently dominant as he gets stronger and more aggressive. O’Conner also finished with four rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Maison Vorise (2024) | 5-11 G | Denham Springs
The highly regard 2024 defensive back prospect on the football recruiting trail was a pivotal leader as the Yellow Jackets finally found an answer to West Monroe’s second-half surge. A series late in the third quarter in which Vorise ran down a fast break and blocked the attempted layup then snatched two quick steals turned into five quick points on the other end that briefly regained a lead. He finished with nine points, seven rebounds, two steals, two blocked shots and two assists on a night on which his anticipation, quickness, physicality and determination were all on full display as a junior leader for his team.
James Taylor (2023) | 5-11 G | Denham Springs
The senior wing scored nine first-half points to help complement O’Conner in the Yellow Jackets’ strong start. Like his teammate, Taylor did most of his work driving into the lane on a night on which the teams struggled to a combined 5-for-26 (19.2%) from beyond the arc. He also grabbed four steals, two rebounds and emphatically blocked a shot late to join Vorise and sophomore forward Jacori Gross (each of whom had two blocks) in Denham Springs’ rim protection.